2024.12.23: Disconnect to Reconnect
Civic Initiatives: Prioritizing Work-Life Balance for a Happier, Healthier Workforce.
2024.11.26: The Procurement Cornucopia
Thanksgiving in the US is a great time to reflect on the abundance we have through our public procurement careers.
2024.12.16: What's Your Why with Carlos Torres
My “Why” in Procurement is to work with customers and suppliers to make procurement a key business partner by increasing, creating, and ensuring value. - Carlos Torres, Procurement Process Consultant
2024.12.16: 2025 Strategic Planning
In the new calendar year, now is the perfect time to refine your strategies and set a solid foundation for success.
2024.11.15: What's Your Why with Veronica Ambrose
In the context of public procurement, my "why" revolves around helping improve the lives of other public procurement professionals. - Veronica Ambrose, Marketing / Outreach & Engagement Senior Associate
2024.10.30: Things I Have Learned: Seven Guiding Factors after Fourteen Years of Business (podcast here)
Dustin Lanier, Founder and Principal Consultant, shares seven (7) things he has learned in the last 14 year of building Civic Initiatives.
2024.10.14: What's Your Why with Alex Van Dyck
What’s Your Why? To make government spending efficient and effective so we all benefit. “Every dollar saved matters.” - Alex Van Dyck, Practice Lead, Performance & Analytics
2024.10.09: Procurement in Urgent Times: A Critical Role in Response and Recovery
As procurement professionals respond to multiple disasters, it is a good time to refresh on FEMA and procurement, both during the initial response and then throughout the long recovery ahead.
2024.09.19: For the Public Good: The Critical Role of Sourcing in Health Institutions
What are some of the areas of common ground we think that public procurement professionals have with supply chain managers for healthcare institutions? Let's dig in.
2024.09.16: What's Your Why with Cymel Abdul
“My "Why" in public procurement is because it’s inspiring and very rewarding.” - Cymel Abdul, Compliance as a Service (CaaS) Procurement Process Consultant
2024.09.10: Top 10 Procurement under Grants Mistakes
As procurement professionals support emergency response and recovery during the hurricane season, it is timely to refresh on best practices in disaster response procurement.
2024.09.04: Elevation: Remodeling GenAI as a Staff Empowerment Platform
Dustin shares insights into AI and Public Procurement, encouraging entities to refocus on the people, and their ability to be an ai-ready workforce.
2024.08.19: What's Your Why with Marina Williams
What’s My Why? In public procurement, my "why" is “the Drive to Learn Everyday”. - Marina Williams, Platform Optimization Practice Lead
2024.07.18: Change Agents Chat: Colin Erhardt from the Government Performance Lab for Harvard Kennedy School
Dustin Lanier and Colin Erhardt from the Government Performance Lab at Harvard Kennedy School delve into the Procurement Excellence Network! Here at Civic, we're avid supporters of their impactful initiatives, consistently highlighting their community resources and leadership efforts. Our discussion was truly enlightening! You can also listen to the podcast here.
2024.06.17: What's Your Why with Theresa Webb
Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Strategy: The Potential of Government Procurement to drive innovation and improvement. - Theresa Webb, M.A., NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB, C.P.M., Sr. Procurement Project Consultant.
2024.06.13: Converging Paths: The common ground between government and non-profits (podcast here)
Recently, we started a conversation about the significant similarities between government and nonprofit organizations, particularly in the realm of procurement and contract management, where we have the honor of serving both sectors.
2024.06.12: How much funding for non-profits comes from Government sources?
Did you know there are over 1.48 million active 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the United States? According to the National Council of Nonprofits impact report from a few years ago, they found that almost 32 percent of the funding for non-profits was from Government Grants and Contracts - and that was before ARPA and recent grant programs, so that number is a floor.
2024.06.01: Similarities Between Government and Non-Profit Organizations
Government and non-profit organizations share several similarities, including how public procurement is conducted. Both sectors share the fundamental goal of achieving value for money while fulfilling their missions to serve the public good.
2024.05.20: Mental Health and Public Procurement
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and reducing mental health stigma. It is crucial to recognize the role that public procurement plays in providing essential services to individuals in need.
2024.05.20: What's Your Why with Stephanie Creed
1. Lifelong Learning & Dynamic Environments 2. Making a Difference through Responsible Spending and 3. the Opportunity to Mentor and Help Others. - Stephanie Creed, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB, Senior Procurement Process Consultant.
2024.04.24: Change Agent Chat with Open Gov's Kathrin Frauscher
Dustin Lanier interviews Kathrin Frauscher from the Open Contracting Partnership, a global non-profit focused on improving public procurement through open-data-powered reform efforts.
2024.04.15: What's Your Why with Karen Hatten
Celebrating Procurement Professionals by highlighting Civic Initiatives, Karen Hatten shares her Procurement 'why'.
2024.04.09: NASPO Acquisition Support Services
Civic has been part of the NASPO Acquisition Support Services category since 2019 and is part of the new contract extending services through 2030.
2024.04.01: Procurement Month What's Your Why with Mike Thornton
Continuing to celebrate Procurement Professionals and highlighting Civic Initiatives PaaS Practice Lead Mike Thornton as he shares why Procurement is important to him.
2024.03.26: Procurement Month What's Your Why with Nancy Sherriel Rush
In celebration of Procurement Month, Civic Initiatives team member Nancy Sherriel Rush shares why she enjoys working in Procurement.
2024.03.25: Procurement Month What's Your Why with Woody Fluharty
In celebration of Procurement Month, Civic Initiatives Deputy Chief Operating Officer Woody Fluharty shares why Procurement is so important to him.
2024.02.28: Change Agent Chats: Jack Pellegrino, Director of Purchasing & Contracting
Jack Pellegrino, Director of Purchasing and Contracting for the County of San Diego, and Dustin talk about the recent CAPPO conference, his path to San Diego, and his new effort to launch a master's-level supply chain management program.
2024.02.01: PIPS BVA Success Story: UVED
This is a real-life case study in which the PIPs approach was implemented, and Jacob Charries, CPPO, CPPB, PIPS BVA, CPO-OK, CPM-OK explores the project's results.
2024.01.17: Traditional Best Value RFP vs. PIPS
Traditional Best Value RFPs rely on the people posting the RFP to be subject-matter experts. The PIPS Best Value approach enables genuine subject-matter experts to respond. Jacob Charries, CPPO, CPPB, PIPS BVA, CPO-OK, CPM-OK explains.
2023.12.13: Logistics and Food Rescue: A Perfect Match for Positive Change (Podcast available here.)
What do food insecurity and food waste have in common with the supply chain? Learn how Food Rescue US incorporates supply chain principles in innovative ways.
2023.12.12: Civic Initiatives commits a percentage of revenue to Food Rescue US
2023.12.07: Five Tips to Future-Proof Procurement in 2024 & Beyond
A discussion with Anthony Barry including branding procurement and addressing staffing constraints.
2023.11.16: Performance Measurement in Procurement (and Beyond) (Podcast available here.)
Performance management focuses on how government organizations measure, analyze, and improve their operations through data-driven decision-making.
2023.10.25: AI Session Extract from OpenGov Transform Panel
A quick overview of what AI is, and how to use it.
2023.10.04: Timely Payments and Public Procurement
Our approach to vendor payments is not just a finance issue - it has a direct impact on the success of our procurement activities. In this article, I delve into the top 7 reasons why prompt payments to vendors should be a regular focus in public procurement.
2023.09.07: Generative AI in Public Procurement: The Opportunity (discussion with Steve Meier)
A really insightful conversation into the whys and hows of generative AI.
2023.08.04: Change Agent Chats: Chris Sawchuk, The Hackett Group
Interview with Chris Sawchuk, Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader for The Hackett Group, about the role of benchmarking in improving procurement operations, and the practical opportunities available to public procurement.
2023.08.03: Mindful Measurement: Benchmarking in Public Procurement
There is a quote attributed to quality guru Peter Drucker: “What gets measured, gets managed...”
2023.07.07: Change Agent Chats: Leah McGrath, Executive Director, StateRamp
A talk with Leah McGrath about StateRamp's important mission in streamlining IT cloud standards, its impact on public procurement, and a new partnership with Civic Initiatives.
2023.06.22: Change Agent Chats: Rob Handfield and Andrea Stefano Patrucco
Rob and Stefano reviewed the data from the use of the Strategic National Stockpile during COVID in an extensive report. We talk about the paper and some of its recommendations related to #supplychain in the US.
2023.06.22: Riding the eProcurement Wave
A panel discussion at the 2023 Government Finance Officers Association Conference with Matthew Watkins, Michael Solomon, and I. We discuss the e-procurement landscape, what’s involved in defining and driving toward success targets, and how to be a good customer for e-procurement implementations.
2023.06.21: Procurement Automation Project Fundamentals
2023.06.15: Don't Cover the Stove In Caution Tape (Podcast available here.)
...one of my favorite analogies when it comes to procurement. I talked about running procurement against guiding principles, about not "covering the stove with caution tape." What is that about? It's understanding that procurement is a tool that, if people become afraid of, they will treat it in a particular way - or if they understand it is a tool that has a strategic role, they might run it differently.
2023.05.30: Building Bridges: Connecting Finance and Procurement Part 2 of 2
A story in five parts:- Procurement is a fully professionalized function (AND)- Finance and Procurement are highly aligned in mission (BUT)- To make Procurement thrive requires the correct support (SO THAT)- Citizens are served with the strongest characteristics of both (HOWEVER) the story has a twist ending if you are “small but mighty”.
2023.05.23: Procurement Month 2023 - "What's Your Why?" (related podcast)
Throughout Procurement Month, we have been engaged with the theme "What's Your Why." Several of the procurement professionals on my team stepped into the spotlight to share a brief snippet about what motivates them in their work.
2023.05.22: Building Bridges: Connecting Finance and Procurement Part 1 of 2
Dustin speaks about connecting finance and procurement at the GFOA conference.
2023.05.17: The Financial Data Transparency Act: Get On The Glidepath (Podcast available here.)
The Financial Data Transparency Act (FDTA) was passed as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act on Dec 23, 2022. Originally a stand-alone bill, it requires local governments to meet open data standards for financial reporting over several years, with standards established by federal agencies, including the SEC and the Treasury.
2023.05.02: Resourceful Procurement - NAEP Breakout Session with Ed Mills
A discussion with Ed Mills, Chief Procurement Officer for Colorado University, about "Resourceful Procurement: Leveraging Capacity and Creative Resourcing in Higher Education Procurement" and other important procurement topics.
2023.04.26: Five Keys to Strategic Partnerships (Podcast available here.)
"If you want to go fast, go alone - If you want to go far, go together." African Proverb
Why should any organization – public or private – choose to establish strategic partners instead of building everything in-house? After running a business for almost 14 years and supporting procurement shops with strategic thinking, I think it boils down to five tests.
2023.04.20: Federal Relief Funds and Procurement - A Survival Guide Podcast
2023.03.30: What's Your Why - Higher Education Public Procurement
We talk to three leaders in Higher Education Procurement about why they entered procurement, why they stay, and how we cultivate that interest in the next generation.
2023.02.07: The Six Core Questions on Co-Op Contracting (Podcast available here.)
In preparation for my panel participation for the NCPP, I've pulled together thoughts on the Six Interrogatives - "Who", "Why", "What", "When", "How", and "Where" - of Co-op contracting.
2023.01.19: Navigating Staffing Constraints
In a special conference panel with California public procurement leaders, Dustin moderates a solution-oriented conversation covering clever points for human resources and staff retention.
2022.12.14: Interview: Procurement Through the Eyes of City Manager Harry Black (related podcast)
An hour-long chat with Harry Black, the City Manager for the City of Stockton, California. Hear how Black's public sector career spawned from contracting and procurement into the C-suite.
2022.11.23: Bringing Up the Next Generation of Procurement All-Stars with TJ Martin (related podcast)
An interactive discussion about "Bringing Up the Next Generation of Procurement All-Stars with TJ Martin.
2022.11.22: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs and Public Procurement - Where do they Connect?
Where do DEI and Public Procurement Connect?
2022.10.17: Affiliated Experts - a New Program of Service
Through this program, we will integrate senior public procurement professionals as advisors into our projects to amplify our team's knowledge and leverage their direct expertise in problem areas they have already solved.
2022.09.15: Procurement as a Service
Procurement is not something that can simply be covered by Finance or Legal - it is its own professionalized function that sits within the nexus of those groups.
2022.08.16: Procurement Transformation in the Windy City (related podcast)
Cook County has launched a series of improvement initiatives to make procurement more efficient and effective. Cook County CPO Raffi Saffarian talks about what's in store.
2022.07.14: Procurement as the Focal Point
“A purchasing agent is the focal point for the nexus between finance, business, and legal, and our relationships with our vendors. I don’t know how you can deliver on some of the expectations of councils to be able to manage that function, protect cost, execute a vendor supplier program, and be good at managing our contracts without that focal point.”
2022.06.28: Flipping the Financial Year - In Style!
A great discussion on "Flipping the Financial Year - In Style" with perspectives from state, local, and higher education procurement practitioners, and it's available on-demand audio here!
2022.05.22: Talent Management in the Great Realignment
Attracting and retaining staff has become one of the most critical responsibilities of any organizational leader right now - public or private, higher education, or government.
2022.04.06: Interview: Aubrey Leigh Goodwin 1:1 - State of Mississippi (related podcast)
A great 10-minute discussion with Aubrey Leigh Goodwin, a Deputy Executive Director with the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration.
2022.03.31: Interview: Chapters as an Enduring Community
A quick talk on Chapters as an Enduring Community.
2022.03.23: 'Growing Purchasing Into Procurement' Speech
Establish the seed to start the process; nurture the change to make it take root; make it thrive through five actions
2022.03.15: Procurement as a Career: Should Public Procurement be on the List for Graduating Seniors?
Let's pitch to college seniors to get procurement on the list!
Thanks to Carrie Mathes, MPA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CFCM, C.P.M., CPPB; Aaron Carter, MBA, CPPO, CPPB; and Jaime Schorr for adding their takes on this topic as people who know the NIGP/NASPO/NAEP worldviews.
2022.02.16: Five Watchwords for Public Procurement in 2022 (related podcast)
Great thought leadership from Jaime Schorr, Justin Sullivan, Christin Webb, NIGP-CPP, CPPB, James E. Crenshaw, MBA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, Jenny Hedderman, Esq., Christina Semeraro, MPA, CPPO, CPPB, NIGP-CPP, and special guest Gary Lambert.
2021.12.14: Our Year of Content in Review
Launch of our LinkedIn newsletter, and a look back at all the content in 2021.
2021.10.15: Being a Public Procurement Change Agent
A podcast out of my prepared remarks in the NIGP panel on being a public procurement change agent, and its impact on a positive outcome in automation.
2021.10.08: Supply Chain and Stockpile Management
Thanks to NASCA.org for hosting a great discussion with Curt Topper, Jaime Schorr, and Dustin Lanier, CPPO, facilitated by Pam Goins.
The full video session is available in the NASCA library.
2021.09.16: Interview: Ed Mills, Transformation in Flight
Ed Mills led off with perspectives on how he made choices about why to transform, where to transform, and with what resources. Civic Initiatives, LLC was part of the resource mix in several of those projects, so I spoke about some of our role as an aligned partner.
Ed also weaves in references to the Avengers and Deadpool, so he understood the entertainment assignment. Take a listen and share your thoughts if you do!
2021.08.11: Succession Planning in Public Procurement
Chief Procurement Officers may be reluctant to loosen the reins for fear that their expectations won’t be met. For this reason, the following points enable Agents and Buyers to pursue career-defining opportunities while exercising their leadership abilities in the public procurement arena. These practices enable individuals to become leaders who can take up the reins in the future.
2021.08.03: Hot Jobs in Public Procurement
A discussion on "Hot Jobs" in Public Procurement
Our panel included Jaime Schorr, Justin Sullivan, James E. Crenshaw, MBA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, Jenny Hedderman, Esq., Yen Pang, Jonathan Walker, Christina Semeraro, MPA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB, and Alli McNally.
2021.07.09: New Grant Funding - How does procurement prepare?
With ARPA and ESSER funds starting to enter the pipeline next month, it will be an interesting time for procurement.
The normal start-of-fiscal-year pressure will only be accelerated by new funding that may have specialized procurement needs.
2021.07.07: Gearing Up for an Infrastructure Infusion
With anticipated funding for infrastructure projects, even small public entities are seeing unprecedented levels of funding in what could be one of the most significant public "building booms" of our lifetimes. Here's a checklist of proactive tips as you navigate an increase in construction and IT infrastructure procurement.
2021.06.23: Creating Content - When That's Not What You Do for a Living (NIGP Chapter Presentation)
We've learned a lot about making content useful and doable, and I'm happy to share what we've learned.
2021.06.17: Resilient Supply Chains
Supply Chain resiliency has come back into the news with the ransomware scares, and we had another excellent discussion.
Participants: Jaime Schorr, Jenny Hedderman, Esq. James E. Crenshaw, MBA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, Jonathan Walker, and Christina Semeraro, MPA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB all chimed in with great points that are worth your ear.
2021.06.09: Procurement Automation Project Fundamentals
Fundamentals and frameworks for keeping procurement projects grounded in business value, understanding the automation-choice framework, and keeping project members rowing as one.
2021.06.03: Work from Anywhere
Our Work from Anywhere discussion (now a podcast) was a great hit!
Thanks, Fred Brittain and Tanya H., for bringing the CIO perspective to our panel discussion with Jaime Schorr, Jenny Hedderman, Esq., Christin Webb, MBA, NIGP-CPP, CPPB, and James E. Crenshaw, MBA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO.
2021.05.21: Interview: Sarah O'Brien, CEO Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council
Thanks to Sarah O'Brien for a great discussion. Choose your mode to learn about the great and interesting work of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council.
2021.05.19: Voice of the Customer
The "Voice of the Customer" in Public Procurement. Who are the customers, and how do we hear their voices when we are designing actions and policies?
2021.05.06: Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Infographic
2021.04.28: Tools in the Toolkit
Adding more tools to the toolkit in public procurement! We talk about some of the ways procurement is trying to do more than the standard RFP. From problem-statement-style bids to challenge-style bids and more, there are new ways to find the right tool for the problem.
2021.04.14: Interview: Rob Handfield on Supply Chain
A live hour-long talk with Rob Handfield. Rob was on panels for both the National Association of State Procurement Officials and the Public Spend Forum this week (busy guy!), so if you liked his content, we go in depth on the recent #NASPO #Covid19 report, PPE, Vaccines, global #supplychain, circular planning, and more.
2021.04.01: Client Stories Intro Article
How our clients work with us in 3 main areas.
2021.03.31: Procurement and Technology Security Standards (StateRAMP discussion)
How can Procurement and IT collaborate to make security standards in the public sector... well... standard?
2021.03.24: Strategic Pillars of Procurement Modernization
Panel of Patti Bowers, Barry Zimmerman, & Michelle McNellis.
2021.03.17: Interview: Nicholas Tincher (University of Wisconsin)
Nicholas Tincher talks about keeping Business Value at the center of Procurement Automation in the National Association of Educational Procurement Centennial Week!
2021.01.21: Driving Change - Pressing Through Headwind
Public procurement can be an agent of change by helping business units go to market, learning from the past to improve the future.
This is the transformative power of procurement that improves outcomes for our citizens and attracts the next generation to procurement as a career.
2020.12.17: System Thinking in Public Procurement
There is a balance in public procurement between requirements that prescribe “what” is needed versus asking the vendor to describe “how” they would solve the problem.
2020.10.27: Investing in Spend Data Management
Five ways to get spend data out of the silos. Data, and the insights they bring, are essential in today’s business environment. In the push to enable fact-based decision-making, organizations are making huge investments to capture and store massive amounts of data.
2020.10.26: Strategic Sourcing
TURNING AWAY FROM TRANSACTIONAL PURCHASING
When a central public procurement team is overwhelmed with transaction management, it operates primarily in reaction to inbound requests. The transition to a strategic stance - and strategic sourcing - comes with asking not just "what is the oldest thing on my desk", but asking "what's the next best thing to do."
2020.10.08: CIO Innovation in the New Normal Panel
Panel of Ying Chan, Tanya Hannah, Sam Segran, & Jim Weaver.
2020.09.16: Procurement Automation: What's the Burning Why?
For any automation project in government to make it through the “hard middle,” where enthusiasm wanes, and bug counts grow, there has to be a burning "why". So what is the “why” of procurement automation?
2020.09.15: The Case for Procurement Automation
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are designed to provide back-office support across the entire organization, spanning finance, human resources, supply chain management, and specialized functions.
ERP is a standard expectation for medium- to large-sized organizations and is often implemented to bring consistency and transformation.
2020.08.25: Interview: Biko Taylor (KIPP, TX)
2020.08.24: Designing the New Normal Panel
At the 2020 NIGP Forum with Carol Wilson, Abdoul Kabaou, and Gisella Higgins.
2020.08.05: Interview: Aaron Carter (U of Illinois)
A lively interview with Aaron Carter, where he talked about a variety of current topics, including the focus of University presidents and the role of procurement.
2020.07.01: A Careful Balance
“Dustin, is anyone talking about how deeply connected schools re-opening and governments re-opening are? Because they need to be.” (Client last week). OK, let’s talk about it then.
2020.05.27: What if the Offices Stay Empty
CONDUCTING REAL PROCUREMENT IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - As government operations continue to be performed with part or all of the staff working from home, the question arises: “What if the offices stay empty?”
2020.05.13: Locked on Target: Applying Agility in Public Procurement
The COVID-19 response has prompted our public-sector organizations to retrench and reload.
Now it’s time to lock in on the target.
2020.04.29: The New Normal in Public Procurement
In marking time since the first US case of COVID-19. It's time to plan for the new normal of proactive government during a sustained response.
2020.04.22: Towards A New Public Procurement Playbook
We have effective playbooks for mitigating hurricane impact. There is a key difference between COVID-19 and a hurricane that makes it time to start talking about a new playbook.
2020.04.15: Preparing for FEMA Reimbursement
3 Things Procurement Officers Can Do Now to Prepare for FEMA Reimbursements.
2020.04.01: A New Lens for Vetting Suppliers
"Now, who are you again?"
Tips on validating new suppliers in public procurement during emergency response.
2020.03.26: Distributed Workforce
As public procurement adjusts to a new normal, issues with leading a distributed workforce through shifting rules and priorities have moved to the forefront.
2020.03.17: Public Procurement Officers on the Front Line
As the world mobilizes to respond to COVID-19, procurement has a central role.
2020: Identifying Innovators
How do we know an innovator when we see one? They create an environment where innovation is welcomed...
2020: Grounding Automation Projects in Business Value
First, run these as business projects with a technology component and not the other way around. Second, business value is about expanding the capacity of #procurement to create value for the organization. Third, transforming #publicprocurement, making it easy to buy and hard to fail.
2020: Making Sense of Procurement Automation Choices
Learn about a new tool we call PARSE - Procurement Automation Readiness Self-Evaluation.
2020: Building the Workbench for Procurement Automation
Building Blocks for Procurement Automation Success.
2020: Transactional Procurement Automation
Transactional procurement automation, from 'req to check', and using an ERP, e-procurement, or both.
2020: Transformational Procurement Automation
Transformational aspects of procurement automation for public procurement.
2020: Higher Education Panel
Panel of Ed Mills, Calvin Lyons, & Jenny Doherty.
2020: Interview: Carol Wilson (Connecticut)
Our interview with Carol Wilson, C.P.M., garnered comments from five state CPOs - a great video to watch about #publicsector CPOs on the front lines. She describes how, when Connecticut was deprioritized, they began vetting new suppliers in earnest, almost 5000 new leads and suppliers.
2020: Interview: Jaime Schorr (Maine)
Jaime Schorr, State of Maine CPO, took time to help continue our series on Public CPOs managing in the new normal.
2020: Interview: Jenn Meyers (City of Tucson)
Jenn Myers, NIGP-CPP, CPPB, is one of the best of the best, and we had a great discussion about how to think about young people and their future in public procurement.
2020: Interview: Jim Colangelo (Michigan)
Jim Colangelo covers public procurement topics, including KPIs, organizational design, procurement agility, and new innovations